Joe Gayton
| Last = | Credits = 20 }} Joe Gayton is an American motion picture writer and producer. He is the co-creator of Hell on Wheels with his brother Tony Gayton. They are also the series co-show runners. Joe is an Executive Producer and writer for the show. He has also written the films Uncommon Valor (1983), Bulletproof (1996), and Faster (2010). Biography Career Joe made his screenwriting debut on the film Uncommon Valor (1983). The film was directed by Ted Kotcheff and starred Gene Hackman as a Marine officer who puts together a team to try to rescue his son, who he believes is among those still held in Laos after the Vietnam War. The film received mixed reviews and grossed over $30 million. Tony made the documentary film Athens, Ga. - Inside/Out (1987) and thanked Joe for his assistance with the project in the credits. Joe wrote and directed the film Warm Summer Rain (1989). The film starred Kelly Lynch and Barry Tubb. It centered on Lynch's character, a suicidal woman who rekindles her will to live through a love affair. The film had a limited release and received mixed reviews. Joe wrote the film Shout (1991). The movie was directed by Jeffrey Hornaday and starred John Travolta as a music teacher who introduces rock and roll to a west Texas home for boys in 1955. Travolta was nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor for the film. The project cost approximately $11 million dollars and made less than $4 million at the box office. It received mixed reviews. Joe directed the film The Outpost (1995), which is also known as Wes Craven Presents Mind Ripper and The Hills Have Eyes III. The horror movie was written by Jonathan Craven and Phil Mittleman and starred Lance Henriksen. It focused on a group of researcher's disastrous attempts to create a superhuman soldier by reanimating corpses. It was made for approximately $8 million dollars. It received a limited release and negative critical response. Joe wrote the story and a draft of the screenplay for the film Bulletproof (1996). Lewis Colick also wrote a draft of the screenplay and the film was directed by Ernest R. Dickerson. The plot focuses on two criminals, Keats and Moses, who end their friendship when Keats turns out to be an undercover cop. Years later the two are forced to work together when Keats is assigned to protect Moses as a witness. The film starred Damon Wayans as Keats and Adam Sandler as Moses. The film was made for approximately $25 million and grossed $21 million. It drew mixed reviews. Joe wrote and directed the film Sweet Jane (1998). It was about an unlikely friendship that develops between an HIV positive prostitute addicted to heroin and a terminally-ill fifteen-year-old boy. It stars Samantha Mathis as Jane and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tony. The low budget film opened at the AFI Los Angeles Film Festival and received warm reviews. Joe and Tony co-wrote the 2006 television feature Southern Comfort. The film was directed by Greg Yaitaines and starred Madeleine Stowe, Eric Roberts and Lee Tergesen. It was about the wife of a Southern mobster takes over the family business when her husband is sent to jail. Joe co-wrote the 2008 film The Shepherd with Cade Courtley. The project was directed by Isaac Florentine and starred Jean-Claude Van Damme. Joe was also a co-producer of the film. It was made for approximately $12 million and was released straight to video. Joe and Tony co-wrote and executive produced the film Faster (2010). The project was directed by George Tillman Jr. and starred Dwayne Johnson and Billy Bob Thornton. Johnson played an ex-con who sets out to avenge his brother's death after they were double-crossed during a heist years ago. During his campaign, however, he's tracked by a veteran cop (Thornton) and an egocentric hit man. The film was a box office success grossing over $35 million on a $24 million budget. It was warmly reviewed. Joe and Tony co-created Hell on Wheels and sold the concept to AMC. They are the series show runners and are credited as Executive Producers. They wrote the series pilot and the show was ordered to series on the strength of the episode. For the first season they wrote the second episode , the seventh episode , and the finale . Credits Executive Producer Writer Director External links * Joe Gayton at IMDb Category:Producers Category:Writers